Jane 7, 1888. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
467 
-“A Perthshiee Gardener ” communicates the following :— 
“ Some of the members of my employer’s family, having had the plea¬ 
sure of inspecting the famous Drumlanrig Gardens lately, they saw 
much to interest and instruct them. Splendid crops of Grapes, Figs, 
Pines, and Peaches. In one of the vineries inarching was being done, 
the scions supported by bottles of water till the junction is completed. 
In other houses they saw plenty of the glazed pots described as extremely 
smart looking, and contained many fine healthy plants, a good number 
being Orchids. I hope we may also have a trial of them soon, as a good- 
sized conservatory is in course of construction at present. Another 
plant they saw was described as being tall, carrying large red flowers ; it 
was very much admired. They were told what it was, but cannot 
remember. Could Mr. Thomson kindly tell us anything of this plant ?” 
- Mr. Joseph Mallender sends his monthly summary of 
meteorological observations at Hodsock Priory, Worksop» 
Notts, foe May. —Mean temperature of month, 51'5°. Maximum on 
the 19th, 78‘3° ; minimum on the 10th, 28'2°. Maximum in the sun on 
the 6th, 130'5°; minimum on the grass on the 10th, 22‘3°. Mean tempe¬ 
rature of the air at 9 A.M., 63'9°. Mean temperature of the soil 1 foot 
deep, 50'9°. Nights below 32°, in shade three, on grass thirteen. Sunshine* 
total duration in month 201 hours, or 41 per cent, of possible duration. 
We had two sunless days. Rainfall—Total 0'74 inch ; maximum fall in 
twenty-four hours, on the 29th, 027 inch ; rain fell on seven days. 
Wind—Average velocity 12‘0 miles per hour; velocity exceeded 
400 miles on. five days, and fell short of 100 miles on three days. Ap¬ 
proximate averages for May—Mean temperature, 50'6° ; sunshine, 174 
hours; rainfall, 1'93 inch. The driest May since 1876, and the 
brightest since 1882. As is usual [with such conditions, the days have 
been warmer and the nights cold. Vegetation very late. 
- The Brown Weevil. —Mr. George Bunyard, the Old Nur¬ 
series, Maidstone, writes :—" Will you allow me to call the attention of 
fruit growers and gardenem to this enemy, which has hitherto been 
overlooked by cultivators ? It is a small earth-brown beetle, which being 
nocturnal in its habits, is not often detected. Its habit is to climb up 
the trees and bushes in the tvvilight and to devour the young buds as 
they appear. In May, until the buds sprout, the weevils will eat away 
the bark from the ends of the shoots, more especially from the sharp 
angles left in pruning, leaving the ends bare. Its attentions are not 
confined to one kind of tree, as it may he found upon all fruit, nut, and 
many ornamental trees, which, in isolated specimens, it will denude of 
its buds, so that the trees appear dead. It also affects Roses, and can 
be found on Rhododendrons, Laurels, and such large-leaved evergreens, 
where it confines its attention to young tender leaves, which afterwards 
assume a jagged appearance. It is not a new insect, but has always 
been a native, and is spread over the whole country, and my object in 
calling attention to it is to state that tar and similar substances placed 
on the bark will not arrest its progress, and the only effective remedies 
are : First, to catch them by night. One man carries a lantern, and 
another holds under the trees a net or white cloth, and the other throws 
the lantern on the tree, when they at once fall. The remainder (in the 
shady parts) will fall" on a smart tap being given wdth the hand. The 
nsects can then be collected and killed with hot water. They are so 
tenacious of life that none of the usual remedies will kill them. In 
fact, by accident, some were shut up in a tin box for twelve months 
and then came forth lively. Second, they may be killed in the earlier 
stages by ramming the soil tightly round the stem of the tree or hush, 
and thus smashing them, but as they become perfect insects they are 
tough and will stand a great deal without injury. Third, the soil 
round the trees may be made smooth with the foot and a few flat 
stones or clods of earth may be laid on it. The insects will crawl 
under this in the daytime, and can be caught by lifting the clods and 
watching the soil. At first none may be seen, as they are so near the 
colour of the soil, but they will soon move to get away from the light, 
and then can be detected and caught. In my opinion the orchards 
suffer rfiost when a plantation of Rasps, Currants, or berries have been 
removed, as the insects then concentrate their efforts on the remaining 
trees. As a rule they are not so abundant in grass orchards. Cleanli¬ 
ness is very important, as they winter in tufts of grass, Ac. It only 
remains for me to say that its Latin name is Otiorhyncus tenehricosus, 
and its allies, 0. picipes and 0. sulcatus, are also found on the same 
dea<lly work in its company. The latter is occasionally troublesome in 
vineries. As the insect is now at work prompt measures should be 
taken, as they will soon pair and lay eggs. Like other insects it passes 
through an egg state ; a larva or grub state ; a chrysalis ; and emerges, 
as a perfect insect or imago in April or May according to the weather 
In the grub state it also does much damage to the roots of trees and 
plants. Figured plates and further information can be found in Miss 
Orinerod's work on noxious farm and garden insects.” 
THE LATE CANON HODGSON. 
Death, at the advanced age of seventy-six years, has taken a great 
lover of flowers and a true patron of horticulture ; this village has lost 
a kind-hearted pastor, and a wide circle of friends a genial gentleman. 
He was a born florist, cultivating Carnations, Pansies, and Dahlias when 
quite a young man, and later on Gladioli ; but of late years his special 
favourites were Roses, Chrysanthemums, Gloxinias, Zonal Pelargoniums, 
Azaleas, Begonias, and he knew their properties. Substance, size, colour, 
refinement, were the qualities he sought ; and a flower without more 
than one of these he wished to he put out of his sight. He not only 
cherished flowers with an intense fondness, but was keen in the cultiva¬ 
tion of Strawberries, Grapes, Pears, Apples, and also interested himself 
in the growth of Peas, Asparagus, Potatoes, and other vegetables. 
It was our duty and pleasure to minister to his ruling passion in his 
declininoj years, and among many things to remind us of h m are several 
volumes of this Journal with marginal marks, which will remain to us 
an index to his gardening tastes. Knowing a gardener’s difficulties, he 
was equally ready to excuse failures and to applaud successes. A florist 
of years ago wrote of Carnations words which we will adopt for the 
deceased gentleman of flowers generally, “ They were the marvel of my 
childhood, the admiration of my youth ; in maturer years they lent a 
charm to many a rugged pathway on the journey of life : in old a,ge 
they have been my familiar companions, and 1 shall continue to cherish 
them until my dying day.” 
His last utterance was of flowers. On Wednesday last his coffin, 
literally covered with wreaths, was borne to the grave very near the 
garden, which was to him a source of so much happiness. He was 
mourned by the assembled villagers, who will sadly miss one who had 
learned the luxury of doing good. We have lost a master whom, living, 
we regarded with the most profound respect ; dead, we pay this tribute 
to his memory.—H. S., Saltioood, Hytlie. 
THING PAEK. 
Adjoining the quiet old Hertfordshire town of Tring, and about two 
miles from the station of that name cn the London and North-Western 
line, is Lord Rothschild’s estate known as Tring Park, whiqh is 
unquestionably one of the best kept establishments in England. ^ Some 
three or four hundred acres are occupied, the chief portion constituting 
a beautifully varied and well wooded park. The tastefully designed 
gardens and pleasure grounds are adequately furnished with shrubs and 
trees, while the extensive glass ranges are remarkable for the collections 
of admirably grown plants they contain. It is evidently an establish¬ 
ment where good gardening is thoroughly appreciated, and the gardener, 
Mr. B. Hill, meets the requirements of his employer with all the energy 
and skill which should be the result of liberal encouragement. 
Time only admitted of a hurried glance at the park and grounds, 
but in the latter one dell or shrubbery retreat calls for special mention. 
It is an open space devoted to' flower bals surrounded by steep banks, 
upon which Conifers and other trees with shrubs and the bolder 
herbaceous plants or bulbs arc planted. Very notable are some hundreds 
of plants of Abies excelsa pumila, dwarf, compact, little specimens, 
about 2 feet high, which, placed on the lower part of the slopes all 
round the dell, have a striking effect. This is a good variety for the 
purpose, but there are several other similar dwarf forms that also present 
a remarkable contrast with the typical Abies excelsa, which received its 
name as the tallest of European trees, while these variations are 
strangely enough some of the dwarfest. They have mostly originated 
under cultivation, a well-known variety, A. excelsa Clanbrasiliana, 
having been found at Moira, Lord Cranbrasil’s estate near Belfast. 
A. excelsa Gregoryana is from Cirencester, and then there are pumila 
mentioned above, and pygmsea, the origin of which I have not seen 
recorded. A finely developed specimen of Abies Hookeri arrests 
attention in this part of the garden, and the handsome Cupressus 
Lawsoniana lutea succeeds equally well, and one plant 16 feet high is 
now assuming its bright yellow colour. Retinospora obtusa aurea, 
16 feet high, is an uncommonly good example of this bright graceful 
variety, numerous otlier Conifers of similar interest abounding on tne 
slopes and lawn. For spring effect a score or more of large beds are 
planted with Myosotis dissitiflora surrounding a central one filled with 
A’^eitch’s Dwarf Yellow Wallflower, affording a fine contrast. The 
Foro'et-me-nots last week were extremely beautiful, as the plants are 
placTed closely together, forming dense masses of lovely clear blue 
flowers. „ . 
ASPARAGUS. 
Returning to the trimmest of kitchen g.ardens, one of the Tring spe¬ 
cialties is at once observed—namely. Giant French Asparagus, and the 
results of the system adopted are sufficiently satisfactory to coni ert many 
doubtei-s respecting the merits of the variety and its iiroduce. Prejudice 
has been created against the Asparagus in some pses by estimating it 
qualities from samples sold in English shops, which, at the .cast, hav 
